Idiot Day!

Have you ever wanted to just repond to the ridiculous people that communicate online with hate, ignorance, and stupidity?

There are so many times that I find myself writing responses that I will never send. I call these therapy letters. I work out my feelings and then politely file them away. They are never sent. They are used to work out my frustration and put my thoughts out on paper. Usually I am really thankful later that I did not hit send on the email, tweet, Facebook post, etc. For many years, I kept a literal file that was filled with my emotional therapy letters. I am convinced that it saved me so much money in actual therapy.

Recently, I heard that Twitter was the most hateful site on the internet. I can believe it based on some of the mean comments I have received, as well as artists that I manage. For some reason people feel free to unleash hate and venom freely on the internet. I am sure they filter most of what they say in real life. However, on the internet they must feel immune and invisible. They are willing to spew garbage at an alarming rate. They hope to be creative and get noticed so that become more and more snarky.

I have an idea!

Maybe we should set aside one day per year to respond to all of the haters. It would be like the therapy letters from my past, except we are actually pushing the send button. One day per year, we actually respond with one word…IDIOT.

Everytime we read a comment that is hateful or racist…IDIOT!

Everytime someone insults our intelligence or talent…IDIOT!

When someone questions decisions and motives without any idea what they are talking about…IDIOT!

When they call someone fat, or stupid, or fake…IDIOT!

When they mock an artist’s performance (when THEY probably have zero talent)…IDIOT!

It is like the old movie, Network. When the lead character, Howard Beale (Peter Finch) reached his limit, he shouted, “We’re as mad as hell, and we’re not going to take this anymore!”

How theraputic that would be?! Enough is enough. We’re mad as hell and we are not going to take it anymore! For one day we respond by stating the obvious.

I doubt it would help anything. In fact, it might anger the already angry. However, I am sure it would FEEL great!